As it happened: Tory debate crashes off air after presenter faints

First of all, thankfully we’re hearing everyone involved in the debate is OK.

From the head-to-head that we did witness, it’s obvious tax is still the key issue. Both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have fundamentally different approaches when it comes to managing the economy.

Sunak insists some tax rises will deal with inflation and pay back debt; Truss believes tax cuts can stimulate the economy.

And they’re both willing to say their opponent is “morally” misguided on this issue. Those are pretty stern words for MPs to use about party colleagues.

Though tonight’s event seemed a bit better tempered than the first debate, this contest has a long way to go.

Sunak and Truss will start travelling the country in the coming days for hustings with party members.

No-one’s voted yet, so this is a key period in the contest.

But the big question is how respectful can this competition stay as they sling it out for votes?

PACopyright: PA

In the half hour before the debate went offline when presenter Kate McCann fainted, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss managed to touch upon some of the more contentious issues in this leadership contest, such as:

The cost of living crisis

• Truss said that she will put money back in pockets by "driving growth and delivering the opportunities that come from Brexit" and that it is wrong that the UK has its highest tax burden in 70 years
• Sunak said his furlough scheme and the £1,200 grants for vulnerable households across the UK will make a difference, but that he is ready to come back and do more if needed to help with energy bills

The NHS

• Sunak acknowledged it has been under "enormous strain" and said it can be improved with technological innovation. He also highlighted the extra health funding he’s provided through a National Insurance increase introduced in April
• Truss also pleged to make changes and said she favours "fewer layers of management and less central direction". She said she is "committed" to giving the NHS extra money - but disagreed with Sunak that National Insurance should rise to help fund this, instead saying she would use general taxation

Taxation

• Truss said that inflation is a global problem and reiterated that tax cuts are needed as the National Insurance rise was "morally wrong". She argued that raising corporation tax too high makes the UK less competitive
• Sunak said he thinks it's "reasonable" to ask the largest companies to pay a bit more tax to help pay our debts

Fellow TV presenters have complimented Kate McCann for how she was moderating the debate before she fainted.

TalkTV host Tom Newton Dunn describes his colleague as "one of the very best in the business at holding politicians to account".

Quote Message: She proved that in the first half hour of the debate, and she will prove that again. She is a fantastic talent and I’m hugely proud of her."

She proved that in the first half hour of the debate, and she will prove that again. She is a fantastic talent and I’m hugely proud of her."

Sky's Kay Burley agrees, noting the TalkTV political editor was doing a "senasational" job in the 30 or so minutes she was in charge.

Quote Message: I’m sure the candidates will return to continue the debate under her expert stewardship. Get some rest Kate x"

I’m sure the candidates will return to continue the debate under her expert stewardship. Get some rest Kate x"

ITV's Paul Brand expresses sympathy to "one of the smoothest operators in TV news" over medical problems happening out of nowhere on air, pointing out he once "suffered a wasp attack on live TV"

Quote Message: Very glad to hear she’s OK and she’ll bounce back in no time."

Very glad to hear she’s OK and she’ll bounce back in no time."

Liz Truss has also tweeted her support for TalkTV host Kate McCann, after the presenter fainted while hosting the leadership debate.

Rishi Sunak has tweeted his best wishes to TalkTV presenter Kate McCann after she fainted while hosting the debate.

TalkTV called off the debate but said "she is fine".

Dominic Lipinski/PA WireCopyright: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Kate McCann - who fainted while presenting tonight's leadership debate for The Sun and TalkTV - was doing the job solo after co-host Harry Cole was forced to pull out due to Covid.

• McCann was appointed TalkTV's political editor in January
• She previously reported on politics for outlets including Sky News, The Sun, and the Daily Telegraph
• At Sky, she launched and presented an election podcast named Campaign Unwrapped, giving a behind-the-scenes look at how politicians run their campaigns
• In 2018, she served as chair of the Press Gallery - a gathering of Westminster journalists - and was only the second woman to hold the title in over 200 years
• Her LinkedIn page refers to a job as a parliamentary researcher before her career in journalism

Katy Balls from the Spectator, who is in the studio for the debate, has tweeted a picture of Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss chatting to the audience of Sun readers after the debate was interrupted.

As we've been reporting, the TalkTV debate abruptly went off air after an incident in the studio.

Here's the moment when Liz Truss was interrupted mid-sentence after a crash is heard.

A spokesperson for News UK, which owns the Sun, has said "there was a medical issue, hope to be back on air soon”.

Something appears to have happened during the Talk TV debate.

There was a loud crash, Liz Truss looked very concerned and then the programme was taken off air.

The production team’s main concern will rightly be ensuring everyone is OK, so it’s not clear if this debate will resume.

Well, we're not sure exactly what's going on the TalkTV studio right now - as the feed has come off air.

In the moments beforehand, the two Tory leadership hopefuls were discussing the UK's support for Ukraine.

They'd been asked a question about the potential rise in energy costs to British households, as a result of sanctions against Russia.

Sunak admitted that standing up to Russia's President Putin required "toughness" which could mean that all of us go through "difficult times".

Truss said "the cost of not doing anything to stand up to Putin is immense".

Shortly afterwards she looked panicked as a crash was heard in the studio, and the broadcast feed was cut.

Rishi Sunak has said he thinks it's "reasonable" to ask the largest companies to pay a bit more tax to help pay our debts.

Liz Truss replies saying she thinks Sunak’s policies are making the UK less competitive.

She warns against raising corporation tax too high, saying that the exchequer will get less money coming in.

Moving away from the NHS now, and a question from a member of the audience who raises the rising cost of living, specifically the increased cost of meat.

She asks should her family go vegetarian?

Liz Truss responds that the global food crisis has been exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and Britain needs to look at producing more food domestically by cutting red tape for farmers.

The UK needs a resilient food supply not be solely dependent on "countries we can't trust", she says.

Truss adds that inflation is also a global problem, reiterating that tax cuts are needed as national insurance rises have been "morally wrong".

Rishi Sunak's answer focuses on reducing inflation, turning again to his economic policies.

He says supermarkets and other parties in the supply chain must be held to account to ensure prices are kept fair for consumers.

The first topic up for discussion is the NHS, prompting less of a fiery start than last night’s debate. They’re getting to talk with fewer interruptions this evening.

Rishi Sunak highlights the extra health funding he’s provided through a national insurance increase introduced in April when he was chancellor. He calls this a “brave” decision, proving his commitment to the NHS.

Ms Truss insists she’s committed to this extra funding, but promises to reverse the increase in tax. How would she fund it? She says it can be done via general taxation, and says Mr Sunak did not have to take more money from people’s pay cheques.

We’re talking about the NHS, but we’ve come back to taxes – the key dividing point between these two candidates.

Both candidates are asked how long they were on hold for the last time they tried to book a GPs appointment.

Sunak doesn't say when the last time he asked for an appointment, but does say he is currently relying on the NHS to care for his grandfather and daughter, who have been in hospitals recently for treatment

Truss says she got good service before the pandemic the last time she needed to call 111, adding her daughter has recently needed treatment for a hand condition and received a good service.

She also says that friends of hers have had to wait much longer more recently and that she recognises it is difficult at the moment.